


Talks

by befree2



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-16
Updated: 2018-08-16
Packaged: 2019-06-28 01:14:38
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,067
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15697155
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/befree2/pseuds/befree2
Summary: Percy is a bit of a prude, but Vax is trying to help him with that.





	Talks

It was late when they made camp. Vox Machina stopped well after dark and in their exhaustion, their usual routine a bit scattered. Grog went straight for an ale, then picked out some dry rations to tide them over without putting in the effort of cooking. Keyleth got Pike to drag one large log to the center of the clearing and lit it with a quick spell, not bothering with the usual bank of wood. They didn’t even waste time with a shelter or tents since the air was still warm enough that an extra blanket on their bedrolls would suffice.

“Everyone get some sleep, yeah?” Vax urged them. He added, quieter to Vex, “I’ll wake you when I’m getting too tired.”

She nodded and turned her back to ready for bed. Vax looked away to give her privacy and was met instead with the sight of Percy, stripping away his coat and his collared shirt, then his shoes and his suspenders. They all wound up in a pile beside his bedroll. Percy kicked his trousers off and added them to the heap as well, the unclasped belt left threaded through the loops-guns and all. Lastly went the thin armor he wore on his chest, leaving him in a wrinkled undershirt and his smalls. Vax averted his gaze before he was caught looking and stared out into the trees instead.

    When they’d first met him, Percy had been almost an enigma. It had been a running joke that he might have been a Minotaur under his clothes for all they’d seen of him. For months, he was careful to never disrobe in the company of others, slipping off into the tree line instead. He would carry a pile of neatly folded clothes back from the trees and retreat straight to his tent in long-sleeved, long-pant pajamas, embarrassed to be seen any less than fully presentable, especially in front of the women. The pile of wrinkled clothes that he’d dumed onto the leaves tonight was something Vax wouldn’t have thought him capable of back then.

Percy’s modesty was ultimately tossed aside by the necessity of undressing in order to cure his wounds. The first time he’d taken a spear to the ribs and Pike had told him to remove his shirt, Percy had been half-dizzy and breathing ragged with pain as he tried to refuse her treatment in the name of maintaining his sense of propriety. It had taken twenty minutes of bickering and, ultimately, Vax threatening to knock him out and strip him _completely_ naked before Percy had relented and opened his shirt to be healed.

They’d had a conversation about it that night, while Vax watched over them and Percy, still too hurt and exhausted from battle to put on his pajamas, sat awake with him.

_“Why do you get so embarrassed about things?” Vax prodded gently._

_“I will assume that you’re referring to why I don’t think it’s proper to be undressed in the company of others?” Percy gave a little dry chuckle. “I don’t know, it’s just the way I was raised,” he said it almost as a question. “I come from nobility, and I was taught that a lady should not see you unbuttoned an inch until your wedding night.”_

_Vax had the audacity to laugh at that, to which Percy sighed._

_“You’re serious? And what if you’re completely incompatible? You just get married and have to be horribly unhappy for the rest of your life?”_

_“You still have a chance to get to know your betrothed, it’s not as if you don’t know the person,” Percy defended._

_“Yeah, you know their personality, and that might all be fine and good, but what if you want completely different things in bed?”_

_Percy blushed deeply. “I was under the impression that people generally want the same thing on their wedding night,” he answered, only a little hesitantly._

_Vax was no longer laughing, “Well yeah, on a basic level, but what if you’re sexually incompatible?”_

_Percy was more than a little uncertain now. “I’m not sure how you mean, really. If you don’t find the person attractive, you can marry someone else.”_

_Vax turned to stare at him, furrowing his brows. “You’re still a_ virgin _?” He blurted._

 _Percy flushed even brighter. “Of_ course _I’ve never-sweet_ Pelor _,” he took a deep, steadying breath._

 _Vax took a moment to calm the ‘oh’ of realization that had drawn itself across his face and replied seriously. “It’s just...you know, you might find someone who’s smart and funny and beautiful but when you get them to bed it doesn’t really matter. I’ve been with people who I don’t actually like very much but who have been_ very _satisfying partners, and I’ve also been with someone who I thought I had a lot in common with and that they were hot as fuck, but they turned out to be a dead fish between the sheets. You’ve gotta...try the goods, you know? See what you like...see what they like..”_

 _“I-uh-” Percy made an uncomfortable noise in the back of his throat, but seemed to reflect on Vax’s words. “I suppose it never occurred to me to think of it like that. I always assumed that if you love someone and your mutual goal is...well-_ pleasure _, that it’s bound to be...satisfactory, at least.”_

 _“My gods,” Vax swallowed hard, “‘Satisfactory’ is not enough. It should_ so _much more than just_ satisfactory _.”_

_Percy said nothing, and Vax gave a frustrated huff, but thankfully said “Sorry, I just...I didn’t mean to embarrass you,” and he none-too-subtly changed the subject until Percy declared that it was time to sleep._

 

Vax had noticed that Percy was slightly less of a prude after that conversation, although anything even remotely hinting at immodesty would still make him blush at the drop of a hat. Once, Keyleth had asked him if he could fix a clasp on her armour and when Percy had looked up to answer, he made himself the butt of jokes for weeks. Keyleth, standing next to him in her undertunic and bare feet and holding out the broken piece of metal on her leathers, did not understand why Percy’s reaction was to go beet red and berate her.

“Good gods, what are you doing?”

“I didn’t _try_ to break it, it’s just been sort of soggling loose and it snagged yesterday,” Keyleth tried to defend herself, looking affronted.

“What? Ah-not that, I mean-!” Percy struggled to explain while pointedly looking away from her.

“What is _wrong_ with you?” Keyleth just stepped back into his field of vision to confront him, which made him spaz even more. By that point, the rest of the group had realized that was going on and were mostly trying not to laugh too mercilessly at him.

“Darling, I think he’s just a little shy,” Vex said helpfully, stepping forward. “Perhaps if you come back with all of your clothes on he’ll be able to formulate a full sentence to answer you, hm?”

Percy had blushed even deeper at that. “It’s not appropriate,” he had mumbled.

“I-what? I’m covered,” Keyleth looked hurt and confused.

“It’s-just-argh,” Percy forced himself to look up into Keyleth’s eyes. “I’m sorry, but please, just...could you dress yourself first?”

 

Once, and only once that Vax could recall, Percy brought up the subject of sex on his own. They’d been traveling for days and had nearly reached the next town when Percy slid onto the log that Vax had taken up watch on. It was late, and Vax hadn’t even noticed that Percy was awake until he’d sat down.

“Hey, Freddie,” Vax grinned, speaking quietly as not to wake the others. “Can’t sleep?”

“No,” he sighed. There was a long moment of pause before he asked, “Vax, do you think that I’m too uptight?”

Vax turned his head slightly to look at him, “In some ways, I suppose you are. What makes you ask?”

“It’s just...Scanlan said something, about me being...inexperienced. He was trying to convince me to go with him and Grog tomorrow night. To-you know...”

“Oh,” Vax waved a dismissive hand. “I wouldn’t put much stock in what those two say.”

“I usually don’t,” Percy shrugged, but the thought didn’t seem to roll off his shoulder with the movement.

“But-?”

“I was thinking about what you said...a few months ago, on the subject of-er…”

“Sex?” Vax supplies helpfully.

Percy swallowed uncomfortably. “Yes. And I’m beginning to wonder...maybe I should just...try it? Scanlan says I’m too much of a prude and maybe...maybe I should just...get the first time over with.”

“Percy, no offense, but you don’t seem like you’d be very okay with fucking some random woman at the brothel.”

“I-I’m not, really…” And that fact was more than evident by the look of distress on his face and the red that was splayed across his cheeks and down his neck.

“Then don’t,” Vax said with finality. “Find someone else. If I know you, you want it to be with someone you have a connection with.”

“I would,” Percy nodded. “But I don’t exactly know a lot of people.”

“Fair point,” Vax chuckled. “Well, if you had to choose someone from out of us?”

“I-“ Percy sputtered, “I wouldnt -I can’t-“

“Come on,” Vax glanced behind them. “Everyone else is asleep. If it was just once, just to try it? Just between us, yeah? If there weren’t any repercussions, I think I’d enjoy anyone in Vox Machina except for Scanlan or, well-Vex. Obviously..”

“That’s-“ Percy halted, wondering if that list included himself. “I don’t know if I-“

“Your first choice would be my sister, I’m assuming,” Vax continued on, barring further into the conversation. “I know she makes you blush more than anyone else.”

“That’s not quite true,” Percy managed to argue. “I’m sure I’ve been embarrassed by you much more often.”

“Who would it be, then?” Vax pressed without missing a beat, but his pulse began to thud as he began to speculate on Percy’s words.

Percy sighed and actually gave it a few moments’ thought, and Vax’s chest pounded as he waited for the reply. “Definitely not Grog or Scanlan, and...not Keyleth, no offense,” Percy added quickly.

Vax hesitated. “So...Vex. And then...Pike?” he asked quietly.

Percy lowered his eyes to the leaves in front of him. “I don’t know. Maybe.”

“And...none of the _males_ in our group, I’m assuming?” Vax asked, his tone suddenly cautious.

Percy didn’t quite meet his eyes. “I-I wouldn’t _completely_ rule out that possibility…”

Vax’s voice lowered an octave, “You’ve already said that Grog and Scanlan were a hard no.”

“I am well aware, yes,” Percy finally looked up to met Vax’s eyes.

    Vax hesitated once more, his heartbeat catching. “Is it because I’m so much like Vex?”

    Percy actually chuckled. “You are _much_ different than Vex. Physically, yes, of course, but-” he cut off the rest of his sentence as he heard someone behind them yelp in their sleep, followed by the sound of shifting on a bedroll.

    “You’re always surprising us, Freddie,” Vax said finally, when the camp had fallen into silence once more.

    “I do try,” he rolled his eyes, sighing.

    Vax hummed in thought. “Percy...don’t go.”

    “What?”

    “To the brothel. Don’t…”

    Percy opened his mouth to speak, but seemed to think better of it and nodded instead. “Yeah….I think…maybe-yeah. I don’t think I will.”

 

Percy was especially protective of his coat. Vax noticed that he had a habit of using it as a pillow most nights, carefully folded and tucked under his head, always careful not to lay it in the dirt. Sometimes when Percy was on watch he took out a needle and thread, and sometimes a patch of matching blue fabric, and tended to his jacket with care. Vax had watched him repair sword slashes and dagger holes, fraying edges and lost buttons. Once in a while, Percy would have the coat mended by magic anyways, which made Vax think that it was just a waste of time to repair it by hand at all.

Even less often, Vax had seen him apply a waterproof substance to the coat, a thick oily wax that took him hours to rub into the fabric. It just so happened that they were on their way towards the mountains, where such a protection would be useful against the cold rain and biting wind there, and Percy had volunteered to take first watch while he applied the wax.

Vax lay snugly within his bedroll, watching Percy’s hands move over the fabric rhythmically, rubbing the wax in, then wiping it off, turning the coat and repeating. It was a long, slow process and the sounds of the fabric rustling and the fire crackling put Vax at ease.

A light touch woke him from his trance. Vax blinked and saw Percy’s form hovering over him, coat on and blanket across his shoulders, silhouetted against the firelight. Vax reached a hand up to his face absently, rubbing at the shadow of a beard of Percy’s jaw.

“Vax?” Percy’s voice was low and quiet.

“Percy,” he blinked again, and let his hand fall away. Percy moved away and Vax sat up, stretching his chilled joints. “Time to take watch?”

“Please,” Percy nodded. At closer inspection, Vax saw that his eyes were barely keeping open.

“Just use my bed,” Vax offered, sliding out to sit beside his bedroll. “You didn’t have time to set yours up, right? Besides, I’ve already warmed it up for you,” he winked.

Percy flushed despite his exhaustion, and sighed. “Thank you. Here,” he swung the blanket off and over Vax instead.

“Thanks, Freddie. Be right back, get comfy.” Vax slipped away to use the bushes and stretched with a quick walk around the perimeter of their camp. He found nothing of concern and returned instead to grab a bit of dried fruit from his pack. Percy was shifting into a comfortable position within Vax’s bedroll, groaning quietly as he found a soft spot for his back. “If I’d have known you’d be making those sorts of noises in my bed, I might not have left it,” Vax smirked.

Percy blushed and his eyes snapped open, reflecting firelight and intensity. “Vax,” his voice was low and gravely with the need for sleep. “Stay,” he reached out a hand and gripped Vax’s wrist lightly, just barely tugging him down.

“Yeah,” Vax breathed, dazed. He sunk to the ground and wrapped the blanket about his knees and back, and Percy’s hand slid off his wrist and onto Vax’s ankle. “Sleep well, Percy,” he ran an uncertain hand through his hair, at which Percy sighed and hummed contentedly. Vax threaded his fingers in deeper and slowly ran his hands through Percy’s hair until his breathing fell into the slow, steady rhythm of sleep.

 

Percy did not expect to sleep after the fight they’d had. His wounds stung a little, even after Pike had laid her hands on him and closed the worst of his injuries, but the memories were what really kept him awake. Even as he beat out a piece of glowing metal on the anvil, he still saw the scene replay itself in front of him; Vax had snuck up behind the beast and dealt what would be a deadly blow to even most resilient humans, but the creature had shrugged the damage off with a growl and sunk its claws into Vax’s abdomen instead. Percy had been quick to shoot it in the skull, quickly followed by Vex’s arrows and Keyleth’s earthen form slamming the beast into the ground, taking a spray of fumes as she did so but ultimately defeating it. Vax had still suffered a potentially devastating wound and had lay, bleeding out onto the ground until Pike had reached him.

Percy turned his work with his tongs and beat one, two, three more times before the metal was too cold to manipulate. Sighing, he moved it into a trough of cold oil and set about working to shut down the forge before he finally slipped off his work gloves and apron. Percy was just wiping the soot and sweat from his face when the door creaked open, and Percy tensed for only a moment before he recognized Vax under the black hood.

“Hey,” Vax grinned, tired but chipper.

“Hello, Vax,” Percy smiled carefully, throwing the dirties rag to the table. “Are you feeling better?”

“Much,” he nodded, and brought down his hood. “Pike fixed me up nice, and I’ve already slept for a bit.”

“Good,” Percy tipped his head to a stool and leaned against the workbench. “Have a seat?”

“Uh-I’m good,” Vax licked his bottom lip, taking a step away from the door for the first time since he’d shut it behind him.

“Alright,” Percy eyed him curiously. “Was there...something else? Or is this just an unplanned stop on your pleasant midnight stroll?”

“No,” Vax shook his head. “I came here specifically.”

“Alright,” Percy eyed him expectantly, a small, nervous smile on his spot-smeared face. When Vax offered no immediate explanation, Percy gesture to the hood. “Is there a reason you thought to keep this visit a secret?”

“Vex is nosey,” Vax laughed, “She’d have followed me, and I don’t quite want her to have anything to do with this visit.”

“Alright,” Percy nodded slowly, getting an idea what Vax may have been trying to get at. “And...where _exactly_ were you hoping that this would be going, Vax?” He stepped away from the bench toward the middle of the room, closing the distance between them.

“Your bedroom?” Vax blurted, winking almost as an afterthought. He gave a nervous little laugh, “I mean-“ he took a deep breath, continuing soberly, “if you’d still want to-?”

Percy took the last step closer to Vax, standing over him and in his space, one hand reaching out to pull him in by the waist, the other brushing his chin, urging him to lean in closer.

“Oh-“ Vax breathed, and the next thought that threatened to tumble out of his mouth was halted by Percy’s lips on his. Vax shouldn’t have been surprised by how smooth Percy was, knowing that he’d grown up reading epic love poems and honeyed stories of romance, but he expected Percy’s admitted lack of experience to have made him less sure, perhaps, or at least less patient.

Vax had not expected Percy to be so softly demanding-a swipe of tongue across his lips followed not by a probing mess of saliva and desperation, but by a slow, methodical twisting of tongues, interspersed by carefully controlled nips of teeth against Vax’s bottom lip as they parted for breath.

Percy took him apart with gentle kisses, then broke away, teasing at Vax’s jawline. “You said my bedroom?” He asked, the vibration of his voice echoing at Vax’s throat.

“Yes,” Vax hissed. “Dear _Gods,_ Yes.”

“Are we going to try to be stealthy about it?” Percy chuckled.

“Nah, I don’t give a fuck,” Vax shook his head, laughing giddily now. He grabbed Percy’s wrist and pulled him toward the hallway.

“Hold on-“ Percy took a quick scan around the room, glancing over the cooling forge and the tables one last time to make sure that nothing would cause a catastrophic situation in his absence. “Alright,” he grabbed his coat from the back of a chair and pinned Vax with a devastating smile. “Lead the way.”

Vax only spared the barest glance at Vex’s closed door as he turned Percy’s doorknob and was pushed inside by a gentle hand on his hip. Percy shut and locked the door with a loud _click_ , then dropped his precious coat to the floor, startling Vax.

“You’re still wearing quite a bit of armor,” Percy said, raising an eyebrow. “Perhaps we should get that out of the way?”

Vax started to unbuckle, smirking. “You always have the best ideas, Freddie.”

Percy opened his mouth, a witty reply on his tongue, but it never came out. Instead, he and Vax both froze at the sound of a muffled scream, followed by a crash of noise from beyond the stone wall that separated them from Keyleth’s room. They spared only the slightest glance at each other and bolted back out into the hallway, nearly bowling over Vex as they all rushed to the commotion.

“What’s the matter?” Vex asked, her voice sounding both from her and from the earrings.

 _“Help! My room! It’s...something coming out of...me?”_ Keyleth sounded unsure, her voice strangely muffled and choked, but Percy and the twins were already barging through her door and Grog’s footsteps were pounding up behind them, closely followed by the clicking of gnome feet.

Whatever they had expected to see, despite her warning, it wasn’t that. Keyleth was doubled over, clutching onto the desk nearest the door and it was toppled, as was the chair that usually sat before it, scrolls and ink and quills strewn about the floor around her. She was coughing, struggling for breath and looking as if she were about to be sick as she clutched her chest, eyes panicked.

“Kiki?” Vax was the first to reach her, supporting her with a shoulder under her arm and a steadying hand around her waist.

Keyleth looked like she was going to vomit, and Percy kicked a waste basket in front of her to catch the sick, but when her stomach heaved, what came out of her mouth was a slimy, writhing tangle of bile and blood-covered flesh. It was an inky blue, almost plant-like in its form and writhing like kelp caught in an ocean wave. Keyleth’s eyes widened and she pulled at it for just a moment before her friends could process what they saw and help her tug it out of her throat.

“Holy mother of fucking Serenrae-“ Vex’s voice was weak.

“Pull!” Percy yelled, getting a decent grip tugging out a foot or so, but Keyleth was still desperately trying to get her hands around the slick creature, her eyes watering.

“She can’t breathe- _fuck!_ ,” Vax wrapped the creature around his hand twice to get a firm hold and yanked as hard as he could, falling back onto the ground. Keyleth coughed and sputtered as the tendril was ripped from her esophagus, falling to all fours to suck in air. Vax rolled around with the thing attached to his hand and shook his whole arm, trying to fling it off.”Ah-get this creepy motherfucking thing _off!”_

 _“_ Hold _still_ ,” Pike ordered, and grabbed his hand to force him when he didn’t listen. She muttered a quick spell and, clutching her holy symbol, disintegrated the thing in a flash of warm light. She let Vax flail and instead turned to help Keyleth. “It’s okay. It’s gone now,” she reassured. “And...if there were any more in you, they’re all ash now too.” Pike followed with a healing spell.

“Oh gods,” Keyleth’s voice came out hoarse. “The fuck _was_ that?”

There was a long moment of silence, then Scanlan spoke up, “Do you think it was that gas that the things sprayed at you earlier? I mean, we just assumed it was poison. Maybe it was something else?”

“Maybe. We don’t know what the fuck that monster even _was_ ,” Percy sighed. “It might be how it mates.”

“It wasn’t in my stomach,” Keyleth told them, her voice a wrecked whisper. “It was in my lungs.”

“So...definitely the fumes you inhaled,” Vex frowned. “We need to find out what the fuck that thing was and make sure that’s all it does.”

“Yeah,” they all agreed.

“Right, so...in the morning, we research?” Grog asked, sounding disappointed.

“‘Fraid so, buddy,” Pike patted him in the arm.

“Alright, so we should get some sleep, yeah?” Vax suggested. “I’ll stay up with Keyleth.”

“Oh, you don’t have to-“

“Oh, _darling,”_. Vex cut Keyleth off. “We are keeping a watch on you tonight.”

“Damn right,” Percy sighed, and the party slowly started to drift back to their own rooms. Vex hung back a little, leaning against the wall until only Keyleth and Vax remained in the room.

“Brother,” she raised one brow and brought her hand up to her chest, mirroring where Vax’s armor was undone.

“ _Sister_ ,” he replied tersely, “Maybe talk _later_ , yeah?”

Vex huffed a sigh, rolling her eyes. “Fine,” she spared a warmer glance to Keyleth. “Goodnight,” she said softly, and tipped her head toward Vax. “I’ll come up in a few hours so he can sleep.”

Keyleth gave her a small smile and a nod of thanks.

 

Percy sat down to breakfast before either of the twins. In fact, he seemed to be the first person up at all, despite the late night. Laina plopped down a cup of strong coffee and a plate of bacon, which he thanked her bearily for and sat, blinking stupidly at the wall without consuming anything for a few minutes.

“Good morning,” Vex slid into the chair next to him and yanked a bit of bacon from his plate. “You’re up awfully early.”

“Hmm,” he grunted, and finally pulled his coffee over for a sip.

“Interesting night, wasn’t it?”

“Mm-hmm,” he nodded dimly. “Awful,” he remarked, his voice still hoarse with sleep.

“Yes, we really ought to figure out what in the fuck that thing was, but...I mean, the _whole_ night wasn’t bad, I suppose. You were having a pretty good time before all of that happened, yeah?”

Percy hummed into his coffee, taking another sip before he blinked, slowly turning to face Vex. She was watching him intently, but trying to hide both her interest and her grin. “For _fucks_ sake,” he groaned.

She grinned wider “So...have you been...helping Vax get his armor off for long?” she asked.

Percy groaned again, deeper this time, and brought a hand up to rub at his eyes wearily. “It’s too early for this,” he muttered, and stood up with his mug in hand.

“For _what_?” Vax’s voice cut through room as he came in, Keyleth at his side as he glared daggers of warning at his sister.

“For _her_ ,” Percy growled to Vex, and took a deep swig of coffee.

“I was just making conversation, darling,” Vex smiled widely.

“Well make it elsewhere, _sister_.”

“Afraid I’ll encroach on your territory?” she smirked.

Vax’s mouth hardened into a thin line, but he glanced at Percy and didn’t answer. Instead, he turned around and left the room without a word. Keyleth’s head whipped around as he did so, then turned back to Vex and Percy with slowly dawning realization.

Percy sighed, and refilled his mug from the pot on the table. The clinking of the china was the only sound for  long moment until he turned to follow Vax upstairs.

“Percy, wait-” Vex made to step forward, but he turned back to shoot her a glare.

“Don’t,” he warned, and hurried to catch up with Vax, leaving her frozen in the dining hall.

 

Vax was hard to find, naturally. Percy thought he’d heard his footsteps turn right, but when he looked down the hallway, it was empty and at the end of that hall, he hit an impasse. “Vax?” Percy called aloud. “Are you near?” He waited for a long beat, but received no answer and went for his earring instead. _“Vax, where are you?_ ” Percy asked, and as soon as the message was sent, he saw the shadow step out at the end of the hall.

Vax walked back to him slowly, not quite looking him in the eye. Percy went to the window, where there was a small seat in front of the glass and sat, taking a sip of coffee as Vax slid in to sit next to him.

“Why’d you follow me?” Vax asked finally.

Percy blinked at him. “To... _talk_?”

Vax’s shoulders slumped. “Yeah...alright. S’ppose we can’t put if off forever, yeah?”

Percy nodded, then took a deep breath before he spoke, “Look, I never meant to embarrass you, you know. And I don’t want to come between you and Vex. So if she has an issue with...well-I’ll stop pursuing you, if that’s what you want,” he said.

Vax swallowed hard. “Alright...Yeah-no, I understand. And-it’s alright if you want to date her. I...I won’t hold it against you. Promise.”

Percy’s lack of replay mae Vax look up, into his furrowed brow and bewildered expression. “ _What_?” Percy managed, blankly.

“You...I know you want to date Vex, not me. I’ll stop running after you. You can ask her out, alright?”

Percy was suddenly shaking his head, much more awake. “What-? No,” he said firmly. “I think we’ve had a misunderstanding here. I don’t want to date Vex.”

“You...don’t?”

“No,” Percy’s brows were still furrowed but he kept Vax’s gaze. “I’m sorry, I thought I’d made that quite clear last night?” Vax just stared in uncomprehension. “Perhaps I should be _more_ clear; I find you _very_ attractive, Vax. And I’d love for you to be the one who-well...you know,” Percy was blushing deeply now, but he plunged on. “And to be honest, I think you’re right about what you said before-that a brothel wouldn’t be very pleasing to me because I’d want to have a partner that I actually _feel something_ for-someone I care about...which is why I...well, it’s why I think I’d be very pleased by _you_. Not Vex,” Percy added. “ _You_ , Vax.”

“Oh,” Vax breathed, blinking.

“So…” Percy took a deep breath. “It’s your choice. If you want me-“

Vax laughed a little. “Of course I fucking want you,” he slid a hand up around the back of Percy’s neck and pulled him down into a chaste kiss. “Beautiful,” he kissed him again. “Amazing fucking  _ bastard _ ,” he pulled Percy in for a third time, lingering a little longer.

“ _ Ah _ ,” Percy smiled into his lips. “I thought that title was  _ yours _ ,” he chuckled.

Vax leaned back suddenly, groaning.

“What?”

Vax sighed, “We have to spend the day in the  _ library _ .”

“You don’t have to spend the night in the library,” Percy squeezed his knee.

Vax bubbled with laughter. “You wicked fucking  _ bastard _ . Now I’ll be  _ useless _ .”

Percy shot him a smug smile and stood up, offering Vax a hand. “Come on, we have  _ research _ to do.”


End file.
